The present disclosure relates generally to adapters for retrofitting lighting fixtures with light emitting diode (LED) lamps, a method of using the adapters, and a lighting fixture incorporating the adapters.
Many conventional lighting systems typically include fluorescent, neon, or incandescent bulbs connected to an electrical power supply or driver circuit. Such conventional lighting systems are commonly found in overhead or ground-level lighting applications, in buildings or vehicles, and in display applications such as commercial signs and billboards. However, conventional lighting systems present numerous problems. For example, conventional light bulbs inefficiently consume power and must be frequently replaced.
LED lighting is growing in popularity due to its decreasing costs and long life compared to incandescent and fluorescent lighting. Retrofitting LED lamps to operate with traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting fixtures is one way to obtain benefits of LED lighting while using existing incandescent and fluorescent lighting infrastructure. However, existing lighting fixtures may utilize different connectors and power configurations than required for LED lamps.
Fluorescent lamps come in numerous tube sizes and may have numerous connector configurations for connecting to a socket. For example, fluorescent lamp tube varieties include T2, T4, T5, T8, T9, T10, T12, T17, and PG17 tubes, each having different tube diameters. Variety also exists in fluorescent tube bases (e.g., connectors). These bases may include, for example, single pin connectors, bi-pin connectors, four pin connectors, and the like.
Typical fluorescent lighting fixtures include a ballast for starting and powering a fluorescent lamp. Three main ignition types exist for such ballasts: rapid start, instant start, and programmed start. Rapid start ballasts operate by simultaneously applying voltage and providing cathode heating. Instant start ballasts provide high voltage across a lamp while starting, but do not heat the cathode like rapid start ballasts. Programmed start ballasts provide a specific starting sequence, for example, by first providing cathode heat then applying a voltage to a lamp. Performance benefits of each ballast type vary based upon the number of time a lamp starts and a total active duration. The variety of ballast start mechanisms are intended to extend the life of fluorescent lamps receiving power from the ballast.
Unlike fluorescent lamps, LED lamps do not require the use of a traditional ballast to operate. Instead, LED lamps typically operate in accordance with power provided from an LED driver. Accordingly, when retrofitting a fluorescent lamp with an LED lamp, it is not necessary for an LED lamp to operate with an existing ballast in a lighting fixture. However, removing a ballast from an existing lighting fixture and replacing it with an LED driver may be time-consuming and costly. As such, a need exists for retrofitting a traditional fluorescent light fixture with an LED lamp which does not require modification to the existing fluorescent lamp structure.